Bibliographic Citation

Abstract

End-of-life decisions regarding the administration, withdrawal or withholding of life-sustaining therapy in the critical care setting can be challenging. Disagreements between health care providers and family members occur, especially when families believe strongly in preserving life, and physicians are resistant to providing medically "futile" care. Such disagreements can cause tension and moral distress among families and clinicians.

CONTEXT: Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) that stop earlier than planned because of apparent benefit often receive great attention and affect clinical practice. Their prevalence, the magnitude and plausibility of their ...